Conversations about Clown and Zen, The Whole Interconnected

 This conversation with Roshi Egyoku took place during my six weeks (Jan-Feb 2007) as an artist in residence at the Zen center of Los Angeles. A few times a week, we would sit down for a half hour chat to examine the relationship of Clowning and Zen.

Moshe: One common thread in different forms/lineages of clowning is the connection the performer has with their audience, whether it is on the stage, in the ring, on the street, at a party. The so called fourth wall between the stage and the audience doesn’t exist. This creates a sense of connection, a whole universe.

Egyoku: I am unclear about this “fourth wall” – what are the other 3 walls? The interconnection of all life is, of course, fundamental to Zen.

a note:  The other three walls are the walls that surround the physical stage in a theater.

also: Pete, a Lakota man who spoke at ZCLA’s 40th anniversary celebration, talked about the great parallels he saw between his people’s way of thinking, and that of eastern religions. The commonality he elaborated on most was the connectivity between all things.

photo by kuku